Sharon Academy Winner at TASC

The Sharon Academy was the winner in two categories at $250, for a total of $500, and also won one of four IBM ThinkPads at this year’s UVM Design TASC competition. Jim Wick was the team’s teacher advisor.

Hundreds of students from all over Vermont and parts of New Hampshire, and Connecticut converged at the University of Vermont for the 17^th annual UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Design TASC (Technology and Society Connection) Challenge "Blowing in the Wind" held Saturday, Dec. 1 in the tennis court area of the Patrick Gym.

The event was developed by industrial engineers and teaching faculty from the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. It challenged middle and high school students to design and build "ships" that fit within an 11" x 17.5" x 10" paper box and be able to transport a variety of cargo.

A ton of pennies, washers and bolts were transported in ships designed by middle and high school students, using only wind as an energy source. The 48 teams from 19 schools used wind from 45 box fans to move their ships: upwind, downwind, across the wind, as well as around islands in pirate-themed performance areas.

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